Running through the latest robot videos online, I got interested in knowing which ones were the most popular ever. Here are the results from combined searches for robot and robotics, complete with descriptions and links for your brain’s pleasure!

[[Feed subscribers: visit the post if you can't see the videos]]

10. RiSE, the climbing robot (366,503 views)

RiSE is a six-legged robot that can climb all kinds of surfaces, ranging from trees to walls. He even resembles a natural insect enough to give you that itching sensation. The robot’s a joint venture of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley, Stanford, and Lewis and Clark University.

9. Sony’s Rolly Disco Robot (545,967 views)

Sony’s Rolly is a robotic MP3 player with an intergrated speaker and capabilities to, well, roll around (Ubergizmo has the specs.)

I can imagine that the Rolly is fun for parties (while not being stepped on) and it certainly looks cool. You know me, I love pretty, flashing lights and aesthetics — but it still isn’t something I’d invest in when it comes to robots for the home (no camera? Really?! What are they thinking).

8. Layered-X Transforming Robot (589,629 views)

Layered-X was created by the company Asurada. He’s a 50cm tall robot and can transform into multiple different configurations, ranging from humanoid to spider. Don’t miss his finale transformation, which explains the X in his name.

7. Self-replicating Robots (665,890 views)

This self-replicating robotic system was created at Cornell University. It’s a bunch of cubes, called “molecubes” whose natural shape is a towering structure. If there are extra cubes around, a tower can construct a replica of itself by using its body like a crane.

6. Lego Mindstorms Car Factory (1,316,608 views)

I hadn’t seen this one before. It’s insane. A complete LEGO miniature car factory built using LEGO Mindstorms equipment. A conveyor-belt collects bricks with the help of a few robotic arms and assembles small cars. Unfortunate I couldn’t find the creators of the thing, drop a comment if you know who made it!

5. Keepon, The Dancing Robot (1,430,340 views)

Recently covered here, and considered by myself as the proud titleholder of World’s Happiest Robot, here’s the robot Keepon dancing to Spoon’s ‘I Turn My Camera On’. Keepon was developed by Hideki Kozima at the NICT research center.

4. Plen Skating (1,697,541 views)

Here’s a robot I’ve come to love. Formerly dubbed as the World’s Happiest Robot, Plen is a bluetooth controlled humanoid that can skateboard and rollerskate. The successor of the Happiest Robot in the World title is Keepon (see video number 5). Plen’s the creation of Systec Akazawa.

3. Land Walker Robot (1,743,867 views)

The Land Walker is a bi-pedal exoskeleton created by Japanese robotics company Sakakibara-Kikai. I’m not interested enough to give it more than two sentences attention. Check out Gizmag for info.

2. Cockroach Controlled Mobile Robot (2,176,243 views)

Cockroaches are quite exceptional creatures, and they most certainly get to feel our interest in them. Here’s a macabre experiment: A cockroach is embedded into a robotic, mobile exoskeleton. A trackball is positioned under the roach within its grasp. When it tries to move, the ball turns providing the exoskeleton with action input — like how a trackball mouse works. The project is the brainchild of Garnet Hertz. (Sidenote: those cockpit lights are an awesome touch.)

1. WR-07, A Real Transformer (3,582,406 views)

This is a robot we’ve covered before here, the WR-07 is a robot that morphs from humanoid form to car. Considering the hype of the Transformers movie, it doesn’t surprise me that this video is on top. It was created by Nakamura san at Himeji Soft Works in Japan. For more transforming, you can check out my Transforming Robot Video Roundup.

BONUS: Cornell Robotic Chair (123,503 views)

Let me ask you, how often have you seen a chair that self destructs? Not only that, but can consequently re-assemble itself? That’s this chair. Certainly not your run-of-the-mill kitchen chair, although I’d certainly like all my chairs to be like this one. The chair was conceived of by Canadian artists Max Dean and Matt Donovan, and built by Raffaello D’Andrea.

I’m uncertain of how the chair finds it’s pieces and orients itself correctly, but according to a Cornell article, the chair is not remote controlled.